Exploring

Erika p.o.v

After eating our dinner, we returned to our assigned room. Ry was blabbering all the way, and I was preoccupied with other things, so I did not pay much attention to her.

But I caught some of her rambling; she was obsessed with that man 'Alexis' like a fangirl, and I could not help but roll my eyes.

Laying on my bed, I stared at the side wall, a lot of thoughts racing through my mind, one of which was that this was a good shelter with food. So I decided to stay up here for a few weeks and continue exploring until I found a reliable resource.

****

Time flew by, and it had been two weeks since I entered this training facility. I learned a lot more about this place than I originally thought.

We were undoubtedly on an island, with no way to escape unless you had a boat or someone to help you. Yes, I could sneak into the boat with food and other essentials, but it appears that they have already stocked up for the entire season.

Some bodyguards and team members were always able to enter and exit the island, but sneaking into their boats or ships proved difficult. If any suspicions are raised, they will kill you immediately.

That is why I tried to fail every exam given to us in the hopes of being eliminated from the competition. However, I still did not understand how I passed every exam.

They evaluated us in a variety of categories, including combat, speed, and academics, and I did not impress them. I was badly beaten in combat and accepted defeat quickly. I finished last in the race, and academically I left my paper blank, but they did not eliminate me.

However, Ry's story was quite different.

She decided to leave the contest, saying, "It is not worth it." Her obsession with that man vanished the moment a punch landed on her face in the boxing ring.

On the third day, I waved goodbye to her. Following that, many contests left; some were eliminated due to poor results, while others were left at their own discretion.

I also applied to quit with Ry, but I received no response, while Ry's application was approved within three hours.

And something seemed off about everything. As a result, I decided to try my luck and run away tonight. The more I thought about the idea, the more excited I became.

I was just waiting for dinner, and once the lights go out, I will make a move.

I was alone in my room, thinking about every option I could take. I hurriedly get out of bed and begin stuffing a small bag with items I will need in the coming days. I decided to sneak into the staff boat and try not to get caught by anyone.

The alarm rang, and I dashed towards the dining hall. Everything is going well today, but my heartbeat is still racing due to overthinking.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself before entering the hall. I stuffed my plate, ate my dinner quietly, and then returned to my room.

I had been examining guards for the past two weeks, so it was easy for me to follow their pattern. I knew after ten minutes, when the lights turned off, they would change positions. There would be no guard at the kitchen's back door.

This would be my best chance to sneak into the staff's ship. I stuck to my plan and waited for my chance.

Soon, the entire area's lights dimmed. I threw my small bag over my right shoulder and tiptoed to open my room door.

My room was on the fourth floor, and the darkness in the hallways made it much easier to climb down the four flights of stairs. The guards were stationed in the building's very corner, so I had to make quick and strategic moves to hide myself.

I finally arrived at my destination: the kitchen, which was quite large. The entire area was covered with various types of stoves, ovens, grills, and sinks. It looked like a five-star hotel kitchen, complete with all necessary equipment.

I did not have time to take in its beauty, so I dashed towards the back door. I had been observing for the past two weeks and knew there was a way to the garbage dump.

I hurried towards the back door. It was easy to find in the kitchen's dim lighting. I twisted the metal handle, and to my surprise, it opened. I looked around and found only complete silence. There was no one there, so I took advantage of the opportunity by stepping out the door.

The ocean's fresh salty air hit my face as soon as my feet touched the sand. My mission's first step had been completed successfully, and I was becoming increasingly nervous as I prepared to move on to the second step.

The light from the lighthouse near the seashore kept an eye on the night activities, so I tried to be more cautious about them. When I saw a private cruise near Light House, my eyes lit up with hope.

I aimed for my target and carefully approached it. I had to get away from those flashing lights, so I hid behind the nearest object whenever light came in my direction. I almost got caught once, but I managed to hide behind the rocks.

I saw them loading the cruise with some hard wooden boxes and some contestants who wanted to leave at this point. Somehow I got merged in them and covered my face with my hair as I finally boarded the cruise.

The cruise was as luxurious as any other ship on the dock. I explored it briefly in search of a suitable hiding spot. Finally, I noticed some staff members running in a direction and emerging with a cleaning trolley.

It was a janitor's cabin, which could be my safest place to hide. I looked around before carefully dragging my feet towards it to enter. Then I hid behind a large trolley in the back, near the window.

I took a deep breath as I boarded the cruise ship and sailed through the vast, deep ocean. I could smell the fresh air of freedom at this point. But then reality struck me. There must be a lot of guards on the cruise, so I need to be quiet, careful, and hidden until the next stop.

I simply crossed my fingers and wished for a new ray of hope.

It had been a while since I hid behind the trolley. The jigging sound of the handle drew my attention, and I knew staff members had returned. I hurriedly hid in the trolley to avoid their attention.

However, anxiety gripped me as they began pushing the trolley out of the cabin.

"Which room, Sir?" the first crew member asked another.

"President Suite...room no. 326," the other member informed in an authoritative tone, and the man drove the trolley into the elevator. Sitting in that same trolley, I could not help but curse at my luck.

The trolley pierced through the various hallways, and all I could hear was the clicking of crew members' heels on the floor. I occasionally peeked through the curtain or attempted to flee, but the entire area was surrounded by guards, so I dared to take a chance.

Finally, the trolley came to a stop in front of a stunning glass door. The crew member rang the bell, and someone opened the door, allowing her to push the trolley inside. Many noises could be heard in the room, including people talking and soft music playing in the background.

It appeared that they were having a meeting, and I could not understand anything except 'Master'. The trolley came to a halt for a few moments, and I realized the guard was inspecting it.

I was nervous when he grabbed the curtain; it would undoubtedly reveal me. Nervousness surged through my body as I broke out in a cold sweat.

"Let her in," a voice commanded, and the guards stepped back from the curtain. But it made me even more uneasy because the voice belonged to Daniel, implying that Mr. King was present in the room. The trolley pushed again, and I buried my head in my knees with fear.

The trolley's stability piqued my interest once more, and I peeked out of the curtain. It was in a bathroom, and the crew member was cleaning the shower area. She had her back to me, so I took the opportunity to exit quietly and sneak into the toilet side. My bladder felt heavy, and I needed to relieve myself.

I resolved to ride back in it as soon as I finished my business. But to my horror, the trolley was not there when I returned.

I heard footsteps near the door and quickly hid in the nearby wardrobe before the person could enter the washroom.

After a while, the person entered and exited, leaving only the sound of water running from the shower. There was complete silence after that, and it had been a long time since I stood in this wardrobe. My legs became numb, so I decided to leave.

I opened the bathroom door and peeked out. The suite was quiet, and it appeared that the meeting had ended long ago. The room was partially dark, with only moonlight providing enough light for me to walk to the door.

I tried twisting the knob to open it, but it was locked. I tried again two or three times but was unsuccessful; it was locked with a card key.

"Are you lost, baby girl?"

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